


10 Things I Hate About Bellamy

by JAYctzen



Category: 10 Things I Hate About You (1999), The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) Fusion, Alternate Universe - High School, Artist Clarke, Finn Collins is an asshole, Hate to Love, Multi, Past Abuse, Protective Bellamy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-05
Updated: 2017-03-05
Packaged: 2018-09-28 13:50:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10108163
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JAYctzen/pseuds/JAYctzen
Summary: Bellamy Blake had a reputation at Arkadia High. For what? Well, that changed daily. Spending a year away from school was unheard of, and he wasn’t going to tell anyone why he had, so they came up with the reasons themselves. Some days he murdered a kid, others he sold an organ in order to pay for something trivial. Although, he had to admit he liked the porn star theory the best. All anyone needed to know was that as long as they kept their distance, there was no need for Bellamy to get involved in their lives.Yet, when Finn Collins, spurred on by Jasper Jordan and Monty Green, decides to pay him to take out the school’s ex-princess Clarke Griffin, what could go wrong?





	

**Author's Note:**

> So an anonymous ask on [wellsjahasghost ](http://wellsjahasghost.tumblr.com/post/157956860080/do-you-know-if-any-bellarke-10-things-i-hate-about)basically inspired this au, and tbh it gave me an excuse to watch 10TIHAY again so I can’t complain.
> 
> Also for [Konohura ](https://konohura.tumblr.com/)because the only reason he knows about ‘The 100’ is through fanfiction, plus he doesn’t watch enough films, so I’m gifting him with more knowledge on both.
> 
>  
> 
> **Note – the story line belongs to “10 Things I Hate About You (1999)" and the characters belong to The 100.**

Bellamy Blake had a reputation at Arkadia High. For what? Well, that changed daily. Spending a year away from school was unheard of, and he wasn’t going to tell anyone why he had, so they came up with the reasons themselves. Some days he murdered a kid, others he sold an organ in order to pay for something trivial. Although, he had to admit he liked the porn star theory the best. All anyone needed to know was that as long as they kept their distance, there was no need for Bellamy to get involved in their lives.

However in his second attempt at senior year, a pair seemed to forget that rule. He should have known from the moment he saw those two kids in science class they would be a nuisance. No one dared to approach him unless he allowed it. But there they were, staring at him as he had his switch blade in the poor dissected frog. Although, he did enjoy watching them look away, scared to make eye contact with the Rebel King. The tall and lanky one got the balls to approach him in another class. Really, who did this kid think he was? Maybe drilling a hole through his text book would teach him a lesson.

Next, Finn, the school’s resident asshole, decided to approach him as he was enjoying a cigarette with Murphy. Honestly, he couldn’t see why the girls at his school were obsessed with him. Maybe it was his shoulder length hair and cocky bravado, but Bellamy knew under all that was someone with seriously twisted morals.

“You see that girl?” he pointed to someone he knew he’d seen around; a short girl with waves in her blonde hair was running around the soccer pitch. “That’s Clarke Griffin. I want you to go out with her.” Oh this had to be a joke. Clarke Griffin? She was the princess of the school up until a couple of years ago, probably going through her ‘I’m not listening to my parents’ phase.

“Yeah, sure Sparky.” He and Murphy both laughed, although Finn didn’t seem to get the joke.

“Look, I can’t take out her sister Maya until Clarke starts dating. You see her mom’s whacked out, she’s got this rule-“

“Yeah, it’s a touching story, it really is. Not my problem.” But then he said he’d pay him. Bellamy needed that money, and he was telling Finn he needed it to cover the costs of this date he had to take her on would suffice. Really, he was thinking about how the extra 50 could mean his little sister Octavia could get some extra food this week, and this sap might be his way to do that.

“50 bucks and we got a deal, Spacewalker.” He smirked, using the nickname Finn earned from the advert he just did where they made it seem like he was flying through space. With the money in his pocket and Clarke approaching, now was the time to make a move.

“Hey there, Princess.” The nickname he’d internally given her slipped out before he could stop it, but he tried to make it seem like a pet name by flashing a smile. “How you doing?”

“Sweating like a pig, actually, and yourself?”

“Now there’s a way to get a guy’s attention, huh?”

“My mission in life. But, obviously, I struck your fancy, so you see it worked! The world makes sense again.” God, she was so pretentious. He could hear in her voice how she thought she was above him, and what, because mommy was a big doctor at The Ark Hospital?

“Pick you up on Friday then?”

“Oh, right, Friday, uh-huh.” Now it was time for Bellamy to bring out the charm.

“Well, the night I take you places you’ve never been before.” That one usually had the girls staring up at him with smiles on their faces. Yet, the tough girl act was still holding strong.

“Like where, the 7/11 on Broadway? Do you even know my name, screw-boy?”

“I know a lot more than you think.” Even he could hear the bitterness in his voice. Bellamy at least knew he was good looking. He took pride in his appearance, working out when he could and he could recall at least a dozen girls who all said they were in love with his hair. What was with this girl?

“Doubtful, very doubtful.” Clarke even had the audacity to scoff as she walked off. Bellamy was going to need more than 50 bucks for this.

_~~~_

Saturday was ‘get house shit done’ day. Once Bellamy managed to get Octavia to clean her room to make sure she didn’t accidentally harbour some clothing, he took their laundry to the Laundromat down the street. It was just his luck that once he finished loading up the machine he noticed a familiar blonde entering the art shop across the road. _Let’s try this again._

For a rich girl, her car was actually decent. Not some new electric car that was all the hype. He quickly saw her heading towards the door and leaned against the car.

“Nice ride,” he looked round at the back, “vintage fenders.” For the first time since speaking to her, Bellamy actually said something genuine.

“Are you following me?” he couldn’t even pay the Princess a compliment now?

“I was in the Laundromat! I saw your car, I came over to say hi.”

“Hi.” She started walked past, inspecting some art supplies she had just bought. He would have been more pissed if the idea of Clarke painting didn’t intrigue him. Instead of accepting defeat, he slid over to block her from opening the door, their height difference made apparent when her head almost bumped into his shoulder.

“Not a big talker, huh?”

“Depends on the topic. My fenders don’t really whip me into a verbal frenzy.” What topics would interest the shrew? Well, his life seemed to be up for debate most of the time at school.

“You’re not afraid of me are you?” he expected an eye roll from her, not for her to scrunch her nose as though he said something blasphemous.

“Afraid of you? Why would I be afraid of you?” Bellamy thought back to the science class.

“Well, most people are.”

“Well, I’m not.” _Focus, Bell, you’re here to get the girl on a date, not have a debate with her!_

“Well, maybe you’re not afraid of me, but I’m sure you’ve thought about me.” He added a smirk to the end for good measure, only to hear her mock gasp.

“Am I that transparent? I want you, I need you, oh baby, oh baby.” She forced the door open, making him stumble away from the car. He started walking back to collect his laundry when Finn Collins decided to park up right behind Clarke’s car.

“What is it, asshole day?” he could hear her mutter under her breath before shouting at Finn. “Do you mind?”

“Not at all.” Even Bellamy knew that was a bad move, his point proven when Clarke stomped her foot on the accelerator, slamming those poor vintage fenders into the door of Spacewalker’s car.

“Brave Princess.” Bellamy couldn’t help but laugh out, seeing Spacewalker get a taste of his own medicine was definitely satisfying. At least their mutual hatred for the boy was one similarity they shared.

_~~~_

Of course on Monday, Bellamy would have to deal with the aftermath. Normal Finn was one thing to deal with, but annoyed Finn meant he would be ten times the asshole.

“When I shell out 50, I expect results.”

“Yeah, I’m on it.” It’s not as though before he turned up Bellamy might have been trying to do that.

“Watching that bitch violate my car doesn’t count as a date. Now, if you don’t get any,” the guy actually poked his arm, “I don’t get any. So get some.” He pushed lightly on his shoulder this time. Like hell he was getting away with that.

“I just upped my price. Hundred bucks a date. In advance.” O could do with some new clothes and trainers.

“Forget it.”

“Well forget her sister then.” That was the problem with this whole arrangement. Finn _needed_ Bellamy, and if he really wanted to get into little Griffin’s pants, then he was just going to have to do whatever he told him to.

“You better hope you’re as smooth as you think you are, Blake.” Once the money was in his hand, Bellamy was grinning ear to ear. As long as he could get an income from this guy, he was going to pretend that if everyone didn’t have to stay further than a mile from him, he’d have girls dropping at his feet.

Bellamy inwardly groaned as he saw those two boys in his next lesson. He really needed to figure out who they were.

“We know what you’re trying to do, with Clarke Griffin.”

“Is that right?” oh so these boys had some moral code they’re following, upset at the Rebel King using the poor Princess. “And what do you plan to do about it?”

“Help you out.” Bellamy took a look at them again. The taller one was seriously scrawny; a mess of brown hair would be falling into his large brown eyes if it weren’t for the goggles holding it back. His smaller friend, Bellamy could recognise. Monty Green was all over posters around school, talking about what a talented engineer he was. “Why is that?”

Monty stepped in front, “Err- um- ah- The situation is, my man Jasper here, has a Major Jones for Maya Griffin.”

“What is it with this chick? Is she really that hot?” an indignant _Hey!_ came from Jasper at that, clearly upset that Bellamy could speak about his beloved in such a way. Luckily, Monty interrupted.

“I- I- err, I think I speak correctly when I say that Jasper’s love is pure! Purer than say Finn Collins’.” Bellamy sighed, hating that he even accepted to be a part of this, now caught up in their love drama.

“Look, I’m in on this for the cash. Collins can plough wherever he wants.”

“Okay, there will be no ploughing-”

“Bellamy, uh, Bell, let me explain something to you. _We_ set this whole thing up so that Jasper can get the girl, Jasper! Finn is just a pawn.” For the nth time in the last few days, that science lesson came to mind, and the whole thing started to make sense.

“So you two are going to help me tame the wild beast?”

“Absolutely, we’ll do some research, we’ll find out what she likes, we’re your guys! Let’s start here, now Friday night, Wells Jaha is having a party. It’s the perfect opportunity for you to take out Clarke.”

He had to admit, it was the first decent idea he had heard for a while, and honestly he didn’t want to waste anymore time thinking up new ways to get them to go out together. “I’ll think about it.”

_~~~_

Later that evening, Bellamy was walking into Club Polis, armed with information that was supposed to help him win over Clarke. Bellamy hadn’t been here for over a year, but he remembers all the times he had to come in and drag out Octavia kicking and screaming after getting into another fight. He had tried to explain to Jasper and Monty that he couldn’t be seen here. He used to have a part time job here, working as security on the weekends. But then last year happened, he quit, and hadn’t been back since.

He recognised the band, Trikru with their lead singer Indra, as one of the regular acts that perform here. He couldn’t help but smile at memories of O telling him about Lincoln, the hot drummer she seemed to have a crush on. Bellamy had to put an end to that early, he was way too old to be dating his little sister. Though he is pretty sure the reason she’s late home some days is because she’s with him.

He scanned the crowd bellow and saw Clarke and, from gym class, Miller dancing right at the front. It was the first time he had seen Clarke look so relaxed and care free, that stone mask she wears put away for another time. The corners of his mouth tugged up, her blonde hair whipping around her, making sure she had enough distance from everyone else to really move. What would it be like talking to _that_ Clarke, with her walls down and her heart on her sleeve?

He quickly turned back to the bar and was greeted by Nyko, pleasantly surprised by the soda given to him on the house. Out of the corner of his eye, a breathless Clarke placed an order for water.

“If you’re planning on asking me out again you may as well get it-”

“Do you mind? You’re kind of ruining this for me.” For once, Bellamy seemed able to shut her up. But Clarke being Clarke, she wouldn’t let it go so easily.

“You’re not surrounded by your usual cloud of smoke.”

“I know, I quit,” the surprised look on her face was worth being seen here again, “apparently they’re bad for you.”

“You think?” her stone mask was up again, and Bellamy found himself wanting to rip it off again.

“You know these guys, they’re no Bikini Kill or The Raincoats, but they’re not bad.” He grabbed his drink and went to stand in the crowd, smirk already plastered on his face when she followed him.

“You know who The Raincoats are?”

“Why? Don’t you?” truthfully he hadn’t until an hour ago thanks to his ‘research team’, but Clarke had actually given up, no retort ready for him. An opening. “I was watching you out there before, I’ve never seen you look so sexy!”

Of course the song actually had to finish as he said that. The sound of girls giggling now filled the empty space, and he was thankful for the dark lighting, hoping it would hide the blush on his cheeks. But then he heard a little snort from her, and he lifted his head in pride. The mask was gone again.

“Come to Wells’ party with me.” Instead of disdain, humour was on her face. _I’ve got you now._

“You never give up, do you?”

“Was that a yes?”

“No.” she looked for Miller in the crowd and started walking away.

“Well was that a no?” he called out over the beginning of the next song. She laughed out a _No!_ And Bellamy would be lying if he said he wasn’t proud of himself.

“I’ll see you at nine-thirty then!”

_~~~_

On the way over to Jaha’s house, Bellamy couldn’t get the image of Maya with a fake pregnancy suit on out of his head.

“What was that, with your sister?”

“My mom spends all day at the hospital and has to deliver babies to teenage girls. At first, she didn’t really care, but then...” Bellamy turned to her, noticing her hands gripping tightly onto the steering wheel. “Then my father died, and she was all of a sudden determined neither of us could do anything that might put us at risk. Getting knocked up in high school is apparently a big one for girls our age.” She smiled at the end, hoping to lighten the conversation. But Bellamy knew that smile. He had seen it on O so frequently it hurt to think about, and he had even caught himself wearing it. It’s supposed to say ‘this doesn’t affect me as bad as you think’.

“I’m sorry, about your-”

“Oh, please don’t try to think you know my situation.” Bellamy could forgive her for cutting him off, that anger she had sat deep in his bones when he first started talking to Clarke, it was there when people tried to approach him after that year away.

“Maybe not exactly, but, my dad died when I was ten.” Clarke looked over at him, and he saw the apology in her eyes. “As I grew up, I found out he wasn’t the dad I thought he was, but...” _no, you can’t tell her about that, anything but thinking about that again,_ “you don’t forget what that feels like.”

He regretted the conversation later, when they arrived and Clarke disappeared off into the crowd. When he managed to find her again, Finn was walking away from her and she immediately reached for a large shot of amber liquid.

“What is this? I’ve been looking all over the place for you!”

“I’m getting trashed, _man_ , isn’t that what you’re supposed to do at a party?”

“I don’t know, I say we do whatever the hell we want.”

“Funny, you’re the only one. Later.” Clarke walking away from seemed to be a _thing_ for the end of their conversations. If she didn’t clearly want to be nowhere near him, he would have followed her up the stairs. He had his back turned, and the thought of Clarke being in a house full of people she normally detested whilst drunk made him turn back around and go after her. Once again, he found her with another glass of the concoction, her leather jacket thrown elsewhere.

“Clarke, how about you let me have this one, huh?”

“No! This one’s mine!” Great, now he was dealing with a drunken Clarke, reminding him of Octavia pouting at not getting what she wanted. Before he could make sure Clarke didn’t do something stupid, Finn grabbed him by the arm.

“My man! _How_ did you get her to do it?”

“Do what?”

“Act like a human!” the next song blasted in his ears along with the cheers of people around him. Clarke had climbed up onto a table and was dancing away. He may have even noticed the fact that she seemed to be dancing towards him if he wasn’t so concerned. As she stood up, her head hit the chandelier above and she was falling right into Bellamy’s arms. He wasn’t even surprised when she batted his arms away, determined she could stand by herself. Yet not a second later Bellamy was holding her in his arms again, steering her outside.

“I just need to lie down some more.”

“Uh-huh, you lie down and you’ll go to sleep.”

“Sleep is _good_.” She said it giddily, as if that wouldn’t make him worry more.

“No, not if you have a concussion. Come on, sit down.”

“Hey, hey we need to talk.” Jasper’s words slurred slightly as he approached him.

“Jasper I’m a little busy right now-“

“Can you give me a second?” he spared a look towards Clarke before stepping to the side. “It’s off! The whole things off, okay? She never wanted me; she wanted Finn the whole time!”

“Jasper, do you like her?” a determined nod. “And is she worth all this trouble?”

“Well, I thought she was-“

“Well she is, or she isn’t. See first of all, Finn isn’t half the man you are. Secondly, don’t let anyone ever make you feel like you don’t deserve what you want. Go for it!” as he left Jasper, to take Clarke to another location, he wondered why he even bothered. If Maya got with Finn, then he wouldn’t have to be in situations like this anymore. Sure, Jasper was definitely a way better option, and Bellamy could tell that he genuinely cared for her, but Jasper wasn’t the one paying him. Bellamy could ask for a bonus for a job well done and that would be that. But as he made sure Clarke didn’t tumble down the hill she was climbing up, he knew the idea of Finn taking advantage of Maya didn’t sit well with him. What if that was O? Maybe he did the right thing getting Jasper to give things another shot.

“Why are you doing this? You don’t care if I never wake up.”

“Sure I do!”

“Why?” _because taking you out gets me and O through the week._

“’Cause then I’d have to start taking out girls who actually like me.”

“Like you could find one.” He couldn’t help but chuckle at that, helping her sit down on the swing. Whatever Finn had said to her, it had got her downing tequila and that was never a good thing, so he asked her about it.

“I hate him... I used to love him, can you believe that? I thought he was everything and then his _girlfriend_ visited just after we’d...” she chuckled and looked up at him, “clearly I just attract assholes.” The smile in her eyes let Bellamy know she was joking, and he could have smiled back if he wasn’t so pissed off. He knew Finn had a reputation, too, but this... How could he do that to her? _And what you’re doing to her is any better?_

“I want to paint you.” She interrupted his thoughts and he tilted his head to the side, giving her his signature smirk. “I just never noticed your freckles... they’re so...” whatever adjective she had on her lips got drowned out by the vomit now staining the grass. He’d have to find out later, for now, he threaded his finger through her golden locks to keep them away from her face.

Bellamy managed to get Clarke back to her car, albeit with much less resistance than before. She happily laid her head back, bopping along to the song that was playing, probably one of the bands Bellamy had mentioned earlier that week. He hated to admit they didn’t actually sound that bad and even started to tap his fingers on the steering wheel, making Clarke giggle beside him as they pulled up. He looked at her smiling face as he handed over the car keys.

“Listen, you can’t think you know me just after tonight.” He raised his eyebrows, humouring her. “All people know about me is that I’m scary.”

“Yeah, well, I’m no picnic myself.” Her expression changed to one of confusion, and he stared into his lap. He opened his mouth, but he couldn’t say that word, not yet, so he shook his head and started again. “I was raised me to be better, to be good, and all I do is hurt people.” _All of this is going to hurt **you**. _ “I’m a monster.”

“Hey, Bellamy, you may be a total ass half the time, but, I...” he looked up at her, seeing she had twisted in her seat to face him, “tonight; you showed you’re not as vile as I thought you were.” He smiled at that, seeing the truth in her eyes. Then there was something else, an emotion she hadn’t shown him before, and she was leaning in. He leant slightly forwards, and he couldn’t help but remember that she was drunk, vulnerable, and the only reason he was sitting in her car was because of that deal.

“Maybe we should do this another time.” And there it was. The hurt he knew was coming. Maybe it was better this way, her thinking he just wasn’t interested in getting to know her like that instead of knowing the truth. Once again, he was left with her walking away from him.

The evening played out before him the entire ride home. He didn’t care about people like this, at least people that weren’t Octavia. The face she made really shouldn’t be bothering, and yet he still felt like he made the biggest mistake of his life. As he let himself into the apartment, he saw O standing in the kitchen in her favourite butterfly pyjamas making herself what looked to be hot chocolate.

“Hey, Bell! You want...some?” he walked straight past her into his room, falling onto his bed. He looked up as he heard a tap on his doorframe. “What happened tonight? Does this have anything to do with all the gifts I’ve been getting, I-”

“O, I....” and he almost told her. He almost told her everything he’d been doing, yet there was a voice in the back of his head telling him not to deal with those feelings right now. “I don’t want to talk about it right now, okay?” she nodded and looked down into the cup she was cradling in her hands. “But, I’ll come find you when I do.” She smiled at that, skipping away. Since when had his little sister begun caring after him?

_~~~_

Coming back to school on Monday was harder than it should have been. He got a text during second period from Jasper asking to meet up. Bellamy kept looking ahead as he walked towards the bleachers, stealing a glance towards the field where he knew Clarke was playing soccer. She looked as though she was trying hard not to look at him, gaze focused on the ball. Fuck, she remembered. He hoped that perhaps she was too drunk to remember anything that happened, but the radio silence all weekend already told him she was pissed.

“What did you do to her?” Jasper asked as he sat down beside him. “The plan was working.”

“What do you care, I thought you wanted out?”

“Yeah, well, I did, but then she kissed me.” He was happy for the boy, and that Maya made the right choice. Monty ran over to them, leaning his hands against the seats before speaking.

“Well, I spoke to Miller, I got the scoop. ‘Hates him with the fire of a thousand suns’, that’s a direct quote.” He groaned and put his hand through his hair, knowing now he really messed up.

“Hey maybe she needs just another day to cool off!” Jasper said hopefully, looking between the two. Then a soccer ball was flying between the three of them, causing them all to lean away. Bellamy found where it came from; a very angry looking Clarke on the other end of the field. “Maybe two or three.”

On the way to his next class, Finn pulled him over to the side in the hallway. “I figured 200 should be enough to cover taking Clarke to the prom.” As Bellamy looked at the money, he remembered the incident from moments earlier.

“You know what, I’m sick of playing your little game.” He shoved the money back into Finn’s chest, but then Finn grabbed his wrist before he could move away.

“You sick of let’s say... 300?” he shoved another bill into Bellamy’s hand, and he hated the fact that he actually considered it now. Maybe he could take the money and just not do anything. But then Finn would want it back, and there was no way he could pull that much money out. He took the money and shoved it into his back pocket, the weight of it constantly in the back of his mind the entire day.

He was too tired the weekend after the party to do laundry, but O needed clothes for school, so after class that day he drove over to his usual Laundromat. He noticed Clarke’s car in the art shop’s car park, and the money seemed to become even heavier. Maybe he should just try talking to her, at the very least get her to stop hating him.

When he entered he saw her in the back corner of the shop. She had her earphones in and her back towards him, surrounded by test supplies. There was a detailed painting of what looked to be someone in what had to be a space station, looking out into the vast blackness. The first time he saw her, she was picking up paint. He knew she must have some talent, but what was in front of her looked like a photograph. She put her hand to her ear to take an earphone out, and Bellamy quickly ducked to the side, not wanting to be noticed staring. Clarke made her way to the book section and he followed, seeing her eyes travel along the spines of the rows of books. Once she came to the end of the row, he stepped out in front of her.

“Excuse me, have you seen ‘The Iliad’, I’ve lost my copy.” The only reason he said that was because it was the first book that came to his mind, but he knew there was no way he would ever lose that book, his love for Greek mythology would never forgive him if he did.

“What are you doing here?”

“I heard there was a poetry reading.” Yeah, real smooth, Bell. _It’s better than I saw your car in the parking lot and I’ve been following you around the store._ Either way, it seemed to work because she actually smiled.

“You’re so-”

“Charming?” she began walking away, “wholesome?”

“Annoying?” Oh _that_ was the best she had?

“You’re not as mean as you think you are.”

“And you’re not as badass as you think you are.”

“Oh, someone’s got their panties in a twist!”

She went from looking up at him to searching through a book bin. “Please, do not think for one second that you had any effect on my panties.”

He stepped closer to her, forcing her to look up at him as she picked up a book. “So what did I have an effect on?”

“Other than my upchuck reflex-” she shoved the book hard into his chest, “nothing.” As she walked out the store, he looked down to see ‘The Iliad’ was now in his hands.

He returned home, the dry laundry in one hand, and his latest purchase in the other.

“You ready for mac and cheese night?” his sister called out to him from the kitchen, a wooden spoon in her hand.

“Hey, O... I think messed up.” His sister looked at him with concern, transferring the food from the pot onto plates. “You know the party I went to? I went with this girl and... She wanted to kiss me, but she was drunk, she doesn’t know everything about me, everything that happened, and I... I couldn’t do that to her.”

“Oh, big brother,” she was shaking her head at him, “Listen, you embarrassed her. She put her heart on the line for you, and you kind of pushed it back in her face. If she knew everything and didn’t want you- which would be stupid- then that’s her loss. But if you want her back, you got to put yourself out there, too. You need to show her you trust her, otherwise how can she trust you?” Bellamy smiled up at her with pride and hugged her before putting her in a headlock and ruffling her hair.

“When did you get so smart, huh?”

“Bell! Get the hell off me!” they were both laughing as she pushed at his arms, until she elbowed him in the stomach, forcing him to let go. They both shared a look, and then Octavia ran off squealing round the apartment as Bellamy chased her, thankful for this one good thing he had.

_~~~_

The next day, Bellamy waited until Clarke finished soccer practice before pulling her to the side. She opened her mouth to speak, but he got there first.

“Look, all I’m asking for is ten minutes of your time. Ten minutes to just explain why I act the way we do and what happened that night, please.” She looked like she wanted to say no, but instead she nodded, leaning back against the wall.

“Last year, I... I wasn’t off because I was in juvie, or because I was on tour with some band. My... my dad was an asshole right up until he died. He hated my mom because she fell in love with someone else whilst they were married. But, you couldn’t blame her for that. My dad would beat her up, and she found someone who actually cared about her. My dad found out because she got pregnant with Octavia. He wouldn’t touch me, but after O was born, I would see him stare at her with all this hatred in his eyes. I’d hide with her in this space we had under the floor when my dad came home, made sure he wouldn’t touch her. I know I told you it hurt when my dad died, but it was actually a relief. The reason I know what you felt is because...” this was the part he was dreading, he hadn’t talked about it with anyone, but telling Clarke... It didn’t feel as bad as it should.

“When he died, my mom didn’t how to pay the bills, so she would... she would sell herself so that O and I could eat every week. I didn’t come to school last year because she started to get sick, like really sick. When I finally convinced her to go to the doctor, it turns out some bastard gave her HIV. We didn’t know for how long, but when she found out, it had already developed into AIDs. I started working full time at a construction site just outside of town, made sure I could leave in time to pick O up from school and make her something to eat. I started working part-time when my mom didn’t have the strength to do most things anymore. O started sneaking out, going to bars with fake IDs and starting fights with anyone who looked at her funny. She just didn’t want to be home. And then... mom just died. It wasn’t graceful or some other poetic bullshit they tell you. It just... was.” He cleared his throat, conscious of the tears staining his cheeks. He wiped them away quickly before continuing.

“O’s dad came to the funeral. He pays for our rent and gives us enough to get some groceries, but he has a family of his own and we weren’t worth the risk. So, since I was already 18, I was able to become O’s legal guardian. But she would only let that happen if I promised we wouldn’t go to the same school.” He chuckled at the memory, looking up to see Clarke still leaning against the wall, the only change was that her eyes were softer around the edges and her lips were parted. “I didn’t want you to kiss me then because you were drunk and vulnerable and you’d told me about your dad and I couldn’t even tell you about my past, not fully. I’m sorry I hurt you, and if you still want me out of your life, I get it.” He nodded at her and started walking away, knowing he kept her long enough.

“Bellamy!” he turned around in time for her to fling her arms around him, hugging him tight. It took his brain a second to figure out what was happening, but then he hugged her back just as hard. He didn’t know it until then, but this is what he needed. To finally let everything out he’d been keeping in. He couldn’t imagine saying any of this to anyone other than Clarke, and he was glad he finally did.

“I know this is nothing compared to what you just told me,” she whispered in his ear, “but I act the way we do because... I only slept with Finn ‘cause everyone else was doing it, and afterwards I promised myself I wouldn’t do anything because other people were. My dad told me ‘don’t live up to anyone’s expectations but your own’.” The information churned in his head, realising she was revealing something private to him in return. He leant back and looked down at her.

“So, you disappoint them from the start and then you’re covered, right?”

“Something like that.” She scoffed and looked down. He thought back to how he used to think about her, as nothing but a rich princess who wanted to whine because her parents probably didn’t give her everything she wanted. But in the last couple of weeks, he learnt about the pain that caused her to be guarded. The fact someone she loved had betrayed her in the worst way, that her father was dead and gone, that it caused her mother to be overprotective of her and her sister in a way that was suffocating. She knew all about his sordid past and she was still _here_.

“Then you screwed up.” she looked up and knitted her eyebrows together. “You never disappointed me.” Her face softened, a smile slowly spreading over her face. With her there, in his arms, there was only one thing he wanted to do. He leant forward and pressed their lips together, this time he was the vulnerable one, waiting to see if he messed up. He swears his heart didn’t beat again until he felt her kiss him back, causing him to push harder against her. He heard her hum in the back of her throat, and he pulled back, smiling.

“Go to prom with me.” She laughed, looking up at him before shaking her head ‘no’. “Why?”

“Because I don’t want to, because it’s a stupid tradition.”

“Come on, go with me. Please.” He stroked his thumb over her cheek, and she leant into it, still smiling as she bit her lip.

“Fine. I need to get to class.” She wriggled out of his grip and ran off. Bellamy shouldn’t be smiling so hard, he really shouldn’t. He pulled out his phone and dialled Octavia’s number.

“Hey, O, I’m not going to tell you off if you say yes, but do you still talk to Lincoln? I need a favour.”

_~~~_

He managed to find an old white dress shirt he had from working security and paired it with a tux he wore at his mom’s funeral. He thought putting it on would make him feel sad, but the fact that he was going out with Clarke seemed to negate that feeling. He walked into the front room and twirled for Octavia.

“Almost there, Bell.” He sister climbed off the couch and took off his tie and undid a couple of his buttons, before running her fingers through his hair to mess it up some more. “If you’re known for being the bad boy, may as well look like it, huh?” he smiled down at her as she took a step back and picked up the rose he bought earlier, handing it to him. “Knock her socks off- and if you do that in the literal sense, you can do that in her house.” Bellamy brought his sister in for a hug and kissed her hair.

“You’ve got nothing to worry about O.”

Once he got to the hall, he leant against the overlook. He had a direct view of the door, and was watching it carefully, gripping onto the wooden railing every time someone walked in. He was beginning to wonder if she was going to show up when she walked in. She had on a floor length blue silk dress, her hair in a high ponytail styled with her natural waves, two tendrils framing her face. As she walked up the stairs, he admired how the dress showed off her figure perfectly, and he was thankful his collar was already open. She had been too busy watching her step as she climbed up to notice Bellamy, smiling up at him as he stood beside her. “Wow.”

Her eyes travelled up and down him before she linked her arm with his. “You too. Shall we?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Bellamy slipped the rose into her hair before leading her down to the dance floor, already crowded with seniors. He noticed her eyes pause on a spot in the crowd and followed her gaze to see Jasper twirling a very happy looking Maya. _Good for you, kid._

Next thing he knew, Miller was running up to them, sporting a tux that was clearly homage to the Elizabethan Era.

“Have you seen him?” he cried out, holding Clarke by the shoulders.

“Who?” Clarke said, eyes darting between the two.

“William Shakespeare! He said he was going to meet me here!” Miller started frantically looking around, searching through the crowd. Bellamy lifted his eyes to the stage and couldn’t suppress his smile. Miller looked at his face confused, and Bellamy pointed to the sight before him; Monty, on stage, in a very similarly styled tux, waving down to them. By the time Monty climbed down and made his way over to Miller, the song had ended. He and Clarke were clapping when the start of a familiar song started.

Her face darted to the stage, her mouth forming an ‘o’ as she saw Indra and the rest of Trikru performing.

“I called in a favour.” He whispered in her ear, and now she was looking up at him with the same expression. Indra made her way over, singing a couple lines for the pair, patting Bellamy on the shoulder before going back on stage. He took Clarke’s chin in his hands and gave her a quick peck on the lips, taking her in his arms and dancing with her. Once the song started picking up tempo, he was spinning her around the floor, making her laugh as he quickly dipped her and pulled her back up.

It was all going so well until Finn decided to pull him away from Clarke. “What’s Maya doing here with that cheese-dick?” _Oh God._ “I didn’t pay you to take out Clarke so that some little punk could snake me with Maya!” _Oh no, oh no, oh no._ When he looked over Finn’s shoulder, Clarke was staring at him. Just staring at him, as though all the emotion had been sucked out of her. _You knew this would happen._ She just ran past him, storming towards the exit. He gave a look to Finn, letting him know there would be hell to pay, before running after her.

“Clarke! Clarke would you please let me explain-”

She whipped round to face him as they reached the overlook. “You were paid to take me out by the one person I truly hate? I knew this was a set up!”

He quickly grabbed her arm, forcing her to turn back towards him. “Clarke, it wasn’t like that-”

“Really, what was it like? A down payment now and a bonus for sleeping with me?”

“No! I didn’t care about the money, okay? I... I cared about you.”

For a second, he could see her features soften, and the hurt was plain to see. “You are so not who I thought you were.” She yanked her arm out of his grip and ran down the stairs away from the whole mess. Away from him. He stood there for a few minutes more, giving her enough time to properly leave before he left himself.

He had just gotten into his room when Octavia stood in his doorway. “So, how did it go?” he turned his head towards her, seeing her go from giddy with excitement to pure anger when she saw his expression.

“What the hell did she do, Bell? I swear to God I will kick her a-“

“Nothing, Octavia. It was all me, okay? It was all me.”

_~~~_

Before heading to school the next day, Bellamy made a quick stop to the art shop. He picked up a whole set of the oil paints he remembered seeing Clarke using that day he first messed up. If he couldn’t at least speak to her again, he wanted to leave her an apology gift. When he pulled into the school parking lot, he noticed her car and left the set on the driver’s seat.

Usually he left school early and didn’t even attend his last lesson, English, but it was the only one he shared with Clarke. He sat in his seat, gaining a surprised look from Mr. Kane as Clarke was staring defiantly ahead. So she didn’t even want to make eye contact with him, great. The only thing that seemed like a positive from prom was the massive bruise over Finn’s nose, courtesy of Maya.

“Alright, anyone brave enough to read their poem aloud?” God, he really should turn up to English more, he didn’t even know there was any work due.

“I will.” Everyone turned towards Clarke, and his heart wanted to break out of his chest. She walked up to the front of the class, notebook in hand. With every word she said, it broke his heart a little more.

I hate the way you talk to me, and the way you cut your hair,

I hate the way you drive my car, I hate the way you stare,

I hate your big dumb combat boots, and the way you read my mind,

I hate you so much it makes me sick, it even makes me rhyme.

I hate the way you’re always right, I hate it when you lie,

I hate it when you make me laugh, even worse when you make me cry,

I hate it when you’re not around, and the fact that you didn’t call,

But mostly I hate the way I don’t hate you, not even close, not even a little bit, not even at all.

By the time she finished, tears were streaming down her face. She had stared at him all the way through the second half of the poem, and even if she didn’t, he knew those words were for him. She stormed out of the class with all her things. The words churned in his head the rest of the lesson, Kane not even bothering to stop at the sight of the princess upset. As soon as the bell rang, he practically jumped out of his seat and ran for her car.

There she was; leaning in and looking at the paint set, a much happier expression on her face. _Let’s give it one last shot, Blake._

“Nice, huh?” he asked as he stood beside her and she looked up at him, a confused look on her face.

“How did you even know that I-”

“That day in the store, I saw your painting. I had some extra cash ‘cause some asshole paid me to take out this really great girl.”

She pursed her lips, trying to stop herself from smiling up at him. “Is that right?”

“Yeah, but I- I screwed up. You see, I fell for her.” The smile broke out over her face and he leant down, crashing their lips together. She only kissed him back for a second before pulling away again.

“You can’t just buy me oil paints every time you screw up, you know?”

“I know. But then you know, there’s always acrylic, and watercolour, and maybe even one day spray paint.”

This time when their lips met again, Bellamy knew he wasn’t going to let her walk away from him again.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think!
> 
> Check out my [tumblr.](https://televisionphile.tumblr.com/)


End file.
